CHRISTMAS TREE CHRISTENED BY TOWN DUO

21 November 2012

Lynn Warner

Carlos Edwards and Luke Hyam help out at East of England Co-op as all remember loved ones

Carlos Edwards and Luke Hyam helped to officially launch the East of England Co-operative Funeral Branches’ Christmas Tree to Remember campaign last night on Tuesday evening by being the first to hang memories on the branches of the special tree placed at the club.

The Tree to Remember at ITFC is one of many dedicated trees hosted by the Society’s funeral services across Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk to be decorated with special messages and memories of missing loved ones to celebrate the lives of those who can’t be with us this festive season.

Carlos said: “This is the time of year when many of us will be thinking of those who played an important part in our lives. I’m proud to have been the first to add my message to the tree. I look forward to seeing many more memories being added in remembrance of those who will never be forgotten.”

Christmas Trees to Remember will also be placed across the Society’s 29 funeral branches and 2 Easier Living Centres in the region, and at its Wherstead Park headquarters, throughout this week.

Jenna Fountain, the Society’s Funeral Community Manager for Norfolk and Suffolk, said: “Our commitment to care for those who have lost loved ones continues all year round, but Christmas is often the time when the loss of someone special is felt the most. Funeral branches have hosted Trees to Remember for over seven years. They important as they provide people with the chance to spend some precious time during the busy festive season thinking about those that can’t be with them and celebrating their lives.”

The trees, which have been supplied by the Society’s Sourced Locally Supplier of the Year, Lodge Farm in Hadleigh, will stay up until the Twelfth Night for people to visit and decorate. The messages will then be taken down and the trees returned to the farm where they will be cared for and continue to grow until they return to collect more memories next Christmas.

As part of the campaign the Society has also organised three special Christmas Carol Concerts across the region, including at Ipswich Town Football Club on Wednesday 5 December, as a seasonal celebration and an opportunity to remember those who have passed away. Admission is free but spaces are limited, so call 01473 257242 to book your place.

The Christmas Trees to Remember and carol concerts will also help to raise funds for extremely worthwhile causes. People are invited to make a donation in memory of a loved one to raise funds for the Society’s chosen charities of six hospices across the region, either as they add their memories to a tree, at one of the concerts or by texting the word ‘TREE’ to 70800 to make a £1 donation.

Donations can also be made through www.treetoremember.co.uk where people can add messages to the online book of memories and make the virtual ‘Tree to Remember’ shine in memory of those who are missed.